Blizzard Watch WeeklyJul 6, 2026 9:00 am CT

Blizzard Watch Weekly: Another season in the Diablo mines

By Elizabeth Harper

I’m having a tough time working up the enthusiasm to tackle a new Diablo 4 season when I was just getting my character where I wanted it in the last Diablo 4 season. Do I really want to do that all over again? But that’s the gameplay loop the game presents us; level a character, then level another. But after a certain number of seasons (14, maybe), starting over is starting to feel less fun. I guess we’ll see whether I come up with the energy to dive in, but for now Warcraft (and a few other games) are keeping me pretty busy… and did I mention it’s SGDQ this week? Because it’s SGDQ this week.

But instead of talking about all of the amazing runs that we’ll see at SGDQ, it’s time to take a look at everything that’s been happening in Blizzard games over the last week, plus what’s coming up next.

What happened last week?

With the start of Diablo 4 Season 14 last week, Matt is here to tell you why you should try leveling your next Diablo 4 character by playing through the campaign — it’s slower, but it’s absolutely rich with story, and it flows a lot better now that Lord of Hatred is here. But however you want to approach it, Season 14 is now live.
Secret hunters have finally found The War Within’s most mysterious pet: here’s how to get your own K’aresh kitten by collecting the Unphazed Diver pet (you’ll want to set some time aside for this one).
Turbulent Timeways has returned to World of Warcraft with another six weeks of Timewalking, starting off with the all new Dragonflight Timewalking. Pick up new Dragonflight rewards with Timewarped badges in Valdrakken, and do four weeks of Timewalking in order to pick up the new Vyranoth-themed mount.
Summer Games Done Quick kicked off on Sunday, and it’s one of our favorite gaming events of the year. It’s a full week — and we do mean a full week, running 24 hours a day — of spectacular video game speed runs, all live-streamed for your entertainment. And charity. That’s important too.
The latest Hearthstone Tavern Brawl is celebrating the upcoming release of the Escape from Violet Hold expansion… but unfortunately it’s a Brawliseum style brawl and so we are contractually obligated to hate it. We still have some deckbuilding advice if you’re giving it a try.
Icymi, it’s now July, and a new month means a new WoW Trading Post, packed with Goblin and/or Gnome themed looks for your engineering alt (or just because). Here are the latest transmogs, mounts, and toys to collect.

What’s happening this week (and beyond)

July 7: Hearthstone’s Escape from Violet Hold expansion launches
Through July 9: Steam Summer Sale
Through July 11: Summer Games Done Quick
Through July 14: A new color of the plush murloc housing decor item is available as a Twitch Drop
Through August 11: Turbulent Timeways returns to Midnight, starting with new Dragonflight Timewalking!

Other things we’re playing, watching, and more

The Steam Summer Sale is still on through July 9 at 10am pacific (1pm eastern), so you just have a couple more days to add to your gaming backlog.
This week’s Epic Games Store freebies are another mismatched pair of games, with River City Girls 2, a beat-em-up girlypop brawl, and Harlan Ellison’s I Have No Mouth and I Must Scream, a point-and-click adventure based on the sci-fi classic. Both are free on the Epic Games Store through Thursday.